


Realizations and Revelations

by haawk



Series: when they pulled me from the cold [2]
Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-30
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:40:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27792439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haawk/pseuds/haawk
Summary: rumarin does a little eavesdropping and is worse at fake-sleeping than he thought
Relationships: Female Dovahkiin | Dragonborn & Inigo the Brave, Female Dovahkiin | Dragonborn/Rumarin
Series: when they pulled me from the cold [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2033335
Kudos: 12





	Realizations and Revelations

Rumarin woke to loud and angry whispers. Praying to the Divines it wasn’t some idiot bandits trying to ambush their camp in the dead of night, he readied himself to jump out of bed and confront the noise when he realized it was just Fengari and Inigo. Relaxing back into his bed roll, he strained his ears, trying to catch what they were whispering about. Not that Rumarin was a gossip or eavesdropper; he just…didn’t know anything about his new traveling companions. That he even had traveling companions was an uncommon stroke of good luck, and Rumarin wasn’t about to look a gift-horse in the mouth, but they had been traveling together for a week now and he didn’t know any more than he did at the start (that is to say, only their names).

“…I just really don’t give a damn what Brynjolf or Mercer thinks. It’s none of their business.” That was Fengari, nearly hissing with anger. Rumarin knew that name—that was that shifty Nord with the funny accent in Riften. He offered to let Rumarin in on some grift, but as half-witted as Rumarin could be, he had the good sense to decline. Never trust a man with that much eyeliner on, that was Rumarin’s golden rule.

“Brynjolf seems much kinder than most people we meet. He offered you a job even after you lost the—”

“Don’t even go there. That elf was completely innocent and Brynjolf wanted to ruin his life.”

A pause. They were sitting behind his back, but Rumarin could imagine Inigo’s pensive face, carefully weighing his words, before shrugging, “It’s not like we knew him. I do not see why it bothers you so much.”

“Oh, well, you’ll have to excuse me and my moral code for ruining your day. Maybe _you_ should’ve taken the job if you think you know so much better than me. In fact, why don’t you lead? Go ahead, you’re the boss now.”

“You are being a bit dramatic, my friend. All I am saying is that we joined their guild and we should be up front with them about the activities we engage in.”

“I fucking was up front! I told him, ‘Brynjolf, Inigo and I are fucking adults doing adult things and we don’t have time to sit around in your fucking nasty sewer doing Divines know what,’ and Brynjolf said some stupid shit back and called me ‘lass’ or some garbage—but they fucking know!”

“Shh!” Rumarin could suddenly feel Inigo’s gaze on his back and did his best to look completely asleep, even letting out a snore for good measure. “Not that I dislike him, but why did you ask him to join us?” _Him meaning me, I suppose,_ Rumarin thought.

Fengari shifted a little on her perch. “I’m…not sure. I hate to call it divine intervention because there has been far too much meddling my life lately,” she gave a short bark of a laugh, “but it just felt right. Like he’s supposed to be here. Meeting him was—I don’t know—familiar?”

“Ah, the gods are always the perfect answer, are they not? But back to the guild, I just do not think they would take kindly to you pickpocketing and burglar-ing on the side, that is all.”

“Yeah? I really couldn’t care less what they would ‘take kindly to.’ They can’t just use me whenever they feel like it. They don’t own me.”

“Ah. You are…afraid of being used?”

There was a long silence, and Rumarin was beginning to think the conversation was over until Fengari took a deep breath, “It’s just…all I can remember is being used. Like a tool—or a weapon, you know? Told where to go and what to do. Helgen was a fucking disaster, but I really thought I was on my own; that I was in charge. And I try to help out and tell Balgruff that there’s a fucking dragon flying around and he tells me to go fetch this stone so I jump into this horrible barrow and I don’t even know how to fight or what I’m looking for and the whole way, all I’m thinking is _you’ve got this Fen, you do this and you’re done, just one good deed before your life opens up_ and then he tells me to go fight a dragon— and I do it. No questions asked, and I still think maybe this will be it, that there won’t be another catch, but that’s not how anything works at all. And now I’m supposed to go talk to those—those stupid hermits, and who even knows if they’ll let me in, and—” Her voice chokes up and she cuts herself off. “I’m tired, Inigo. Always. I just…you remember how simple things used to be? Off a few nobles, collect a sweet reward?”

Rumarin can hear Inigo’s smile when he speaks next. “Perhaps the arrow addled your brain, my friend, but it’s not often I look back on those times and smile.”

Fengari’s laugh sounds a little tearful. “Sorry, maybe don’t let the amnesiac reminisce.”

“I am sorry. It is my biggest regret.”

“I know. I forgave you a long time ago.”

Another long stretch of silence passes and Rumarin wonders just what happened to the two of them. Inigo stands up, apparently done talking for the night, and begins to walk away. He pauses a few steps from Fengari and with his back still turned, says, “I think you will need to tell Rumarin eventually. Just so he is aware of what he’s getting into.”

Fengari sighs. “Yeah. I will. I just…need to figure out how to say it. How to admit it.”

“I know you will. I will not mention anything to him, if it helps.”

“It does. Thank you, Inigo. Goodnight.”

Fengari offers to take watch for the rest of the night, and she moves to the front of the camp, her back to Rumarin. She’s upset—that much even he can tell—and he wishes he could offer her some comfort that wouldn’t make it obvious he was awake and listening the entire time, but somehow, he thinks she knows. His hunch is confirmed when she turns around to look back over the camp, catches his eye, and gives him a funny little smile. He returns it, or tries to anyway, and shifts to lie on his back.

Well, he did want to know more about her.

**Author's Note:**

> i just love rumarin a lot and i don't see a ton of content for him so...if you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself
> 
> fengari does the main quests at first, but then she realizes she’s in way over her head and BOUNCES. it takes a while for her to meet the greybeards, and we’ll say that’s because she doesn’t trust nords not to be racist and refuse her entry.


End file.
